Master plant: Ribes nigrum L.
Grossulariaceae (Currant/Gooseberry family)
Oleum ribes nigra

Origin:

The Black Currant has been cultivated since the Middle Ages in Central Europe and Western Europe. The juice of the black currant is high in vitamins C and A. The cold-pressed Black Currant seed oil is from controlled organic agriculture.

Characteristics and substances:

The Black Currant seed oil is one of the most valuable seed oils.
Black currant seed oil is a yellow to dark green oil with fruity aroma and taste. The oil contains more than 70% of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Especially the amount of alpha and gamma-linolenic acid (18-20%) is extremely high - more than three times as high as black cumin seed oil.
Black currant seed oil also contains natural tocopherols (alpha & gamma) and bioactive substances like flavonoids which strengthen the immune system in the body.

Applications:

Black currant seed oil is a biological raw product which finds use as an edible oil as well as as a special oil in natural cosmetics. Because of its high amount of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), the Black Currant seed oil is often used with skin irritations, atopic dermatitis and eczema as well as with obesity and high blood pressure.
The body is unable to produce GLA and therefore must be supplied with foods containing gamma-linoleinic acid. GLA serves in the body as a component of prostaglandin biosynthesis.